In a study from Monash University and elsewhere, scientists found that taking an aspirin a day does not lower the risk of bone fractures in healthy older people.
Prior research has suggested that older people can benefit from taking a dose of aspirin every day.
The primary benefit is a lower risk of heart attacks, but some researchers have suggested that it might also slow physical decline by reducing cerebrovascular events or even reducing cognitive decline.
In this study, the researchers aimed to test if taking an aspirin a day might also reduce the risk of fracture during accidents such as falling down.
They asked 16,703 older people living in a retirement community (who did not have a physical disability, suffer from dementia or have heart disease) to take a pill every day—roughly half were given a low dose of aspirin while the other half got a placebo.
The study was conducted over the years 2010 to 2014 and the team followed the medical records to track bone fractures.
The team found that giving people aspirin did not reduce the possibility of bone fractures during accidents.
In fact, the group getting the aspirin experienced 17% more serious falls than the placebo group.
The researchers were unable to explain the higher rate of serious falls in the aspirin group, but suggest that it might have been due to the aspirin impacting the ability to prevent falling.
They note that the finding was surprising because it went against the idea that people less inclined to developing dementia or heart conditions (due to taking aspirin) would seem to be less likely to experience falls.
If you care about aspirin, please read studies that aspirin could cut cancer death by 20%, and Aspirin, common anti-inflammatory drugs may prevent COVID-19 deaths.
For more information about aspirin, please see recent studies that people over 60 should not take daily aspirin for heart health, and results showing when an aspirin a day to prevent heart attacks is too risky.
The study was conducted by Anna Baker et al and published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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